An Ice Problem

Credit: John Noble
Q: I was just reading an article you have online regarding ridge vents and soffits (see “Out, Out Dammed Ice,” Nov/Dec ’96, p. 21). Our house was built in 1997. We have some soffit venting and some louvered vents. Last spring we installed a new roof and had a ridge vent put in with new louvered vents. I recently went up into the attic and found ice formed under the new louvered vents and light snow coming in. Each louvered vent that had ice formation had water dripped below in the attic.
I read that the attic could be unbalanced, causing the snow to enter. Not sure why I have ice formation. I was wondering if I needed more soffit ventilation? Is there a certain spacing, like every so many feet? I have a two-story house that has six soffit vents on the back of the house and none on the front. The builder put two vented windows that have louvers with screen behind, one in the attic space above the garage and one at the other end of the house. Do you not put soffit vents on the front ...